KARNES COUNTY – The annual Karnes County Youth Show is a little more than a week away. It will get underway Jan. 17 and will continue through the auction, Saturday night, Jan. 19.

Each year youth from all across Karnes County enter projects – livestock, homemaking and handicraft – the culmination of much hard work submitted for the judges’ review in hopes of bringing home top honors and possibly some big cash.

The event has grown in recent years, organizers say, thanks to the generous support of hundreds of businesses and individuals.

This year’s event kicks off with Livestock Weigh-in and sifting (including breeding livestock) from noon to 2 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 17. Later that day the clothing and handicraft check-in happens from 11 a.m to 2 p.m. The commercial steer weigh-in at Karnes City Auction, Inc. will happen from 3 to 4 p.m. The Broiler Show, followed by the Turkey Show will happen at 3 p.m., the Lamb Show starts at 4 p.m. As does the handicraft judging. Commercial Steers will take their place at 4:30 p.m. And the Goat Show happens at 5 p.m., the final event on Thursday.

The show continues Friday morning from 7 to 8:30 a.m. with the food entry check-in. Commercial steer judging happens at 8 a.m. and commercial steer interviews will take place from 9 to 11 a.m. Judging of food entries happens at 9:30 a.m. and the Hog Show gets underway at 10 a.m. From 3 to 6 p.m. The homemaking division is open to the public. Commercial steer awards will be presented at 3:45 p.m. The Breeding Cattle Show is set for 2 p.m. and the Halter Steer Show starts at 4 p.m. The Homemaking Sale will take place from 6:30 p.m. until all items are sold out and Handicraft pick up is set from 8 to 10 p.m.

On Saturday morning from 8:30 a.m to 10:30 a.m. the official sales sheet is posted and auction set up will happen from 10 a.m. to noon. At noon, the homemaking awards presentation along with pictures of rosette winners and other special presentations will take place. At 1 p.m. the Buyers Party begins and at 2:30 p.m. “The Friends of the Karnes County Youth Show” award and showmanship awards will be presented. The auction is planned to begin at 3 p.m. and traditionally carries several hours on into the evening hours.

While Buyers get to keep homemaking entries, they do not take ownership of livestock entries, the animals remain with the youth who entered them so that they can enter in other shows. The purchase amounts go to the youth who enter the projects as organizers say the goal and purpose of the annual event is to support the youth of Karnes County who enter the show and reward them for all their hard work.